Combination playground slope and playhouse



1963 K. A. JAENSCH ETAL 3,114,544

COMBINATION PLAYGROUND SLOPE AND PLAYHOUSE Filed Sept. 7, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l Kw??- A. JAENSCH KREBSYZENZ g/HENSCH A TTO/PNE Y3 1963 K. A. JAENSCH ETAL 3,114,544

v COMBINATION PLAYGROUND SLOPE AND PLAYHOUSE Filed Sept. '7, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i D LJD INVENTORS KURT A. JAENSCH K/MgzE/vz JAENSGH Fm, M, W W

/! TTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 flllngnnnnnnnn INVENTORS KURT A. Jr! ENS CH KREfiZL-TNZ JAENS OH ATTOR/VE Y5 United States Patent Ofitice 3,114,544 Patented Dec. 17 1963 3,114,544 COMBINATION PLAYGROUND SLOPE AND PLAYHOUSE Kurt A. Jaensch and Kreszenz Jaensch, both of 2265 W. Ford Place, Denver, Colo. Filed Sept. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 222,119 8 Claims. (Cl. 272-565) This invention relates broadly to recreation equipment and more specifically to a combined playground slope and playhouse.

An object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which can be used as a play slope for coasting, sliding, ski practice and other like activities, and which slope can be changed as desired to a playhouse, music practice room, shelter or other like structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for changing to alternate forms without requiring any extra parts, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a composite slope and turnaround with selective provision for holding and retaining snow or like lubricous material thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of component parts of such slope which are readily convertible to a playhouse structure with minimum time and effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure having a plurality of structural elements so constructed and arranged to permit alternative assemblage into a playground slope and a playhouse and to permit easy storage and disassemblage.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention assembled in one form;

FIGURE 2 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment and form of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of an alternate form of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side view in elevation of the alternate form of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a frontal view in elevation of the embodiment of FIGURE 1, less ramp;

FIGURE 6 is a view, partly in section, along line 6- 5 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view to an enlarged scale of one of the supporting legs, with parts broken away to conserve space, showing the adjustable extension;

FIGURE 8 is a view, in section, along line 88 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a view, in section, along line 99 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a view, partly in section, along line 1010 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 1 1 is a view, partly in section, along line 1111 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 12 is an isometric view of one form of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 13 is an isometric view of an alternate form of the embodiment of FIGURE 12; and,

FIGURE 14 is a view to an enlarged scale, with parts broken away to conserve space, of an alternative securing arrangement of that depicted in FIGURE 10.

indicated generally by reference numeral 22. The turnaround 20 includes upstanding legs 24, 26, 28 and 30 having front 32, back 34 and side panels 36 and 38 secured thereto by suitable fastening means such as bolts 4% and the like. Angle members 42, 44, 46 and 48 are secured to the upper edges of the panels and the upper ends of the legs by suitable fastening means to provide structural rigidity. Channel members 50, 52, 54 and 56 are releasably secured to interconnect the legs intermediate the ends thereof by a suitable fastening means such as bolts and the like. The channel members are provided with a plurality of holes spaced along the length thereof and the front, back and side panels are provided with matching holes 55 to receive releasable fastening means 57 for securing the panels to the channel members. Bottom panel 58 is supported by channel members 50, 52, 54 and 56. The front, back and side panels are provided with a horizontal row of holes 55 near the bottom thereof as well as a row near the mid point of the upper and lower edges thereof. Thus, the channels 55, 52, 54 and 56 and bottom 58 can be selectively positioned in the elevated position as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 5 and 6 or in the lower position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

Legs 24, 26, 28 and 39* are provided with adjustable extensions 60, 62, 6'4 and 65. As best seen in FIGURES 7 and 9, leg 3%, and the other legs, are provided with vertically spaced apertures 68 adapted to receive matching offset lugs 70 on the extensions. The extensions are adjusted in height by the positioning of lugs 70 in selected apertures of the legs. Each extension is provided with a ground plate 72 secured to the lower end in ground contacting relation by welding and the like. Side panels 36 and 38 are each provided with window openings 74 and 76 which may be covered with a suitable transparent material. A pair of gable panels and 77 are positioned inside side panels 36 md 38 to rest on bottom panel 53 for the purpose to be explained as the description progresses.

Referring to FIGURES l, 2, 5, 1O, 11 and l4, the ramp 22 is seen to comprise a pair of combined ramp and roof panels '73 and 30. These panels are supported in end-toend relation on a frame 82. Frame 82 is seen to include a pair of spaced parallel channel members 84 and 86. A plurality of transverse U-shaped elements $8 are fastened to channel members, as by bolts 91 at spaced points along their length to maintain the spacing therebetween and to provide structural support. The :legs of the element 68 are upturned and a side board 92 and 94 is fastened to the inside of the legs as by bolts Q6 with the lower edge thereof spaced from the web of U-shaped elernent 88 by an amount suflicient to receive the thickness of the combined ramp and roof panels 78 and therebetween. Angle elements 8 and 1% are secured along the upper edges of side boards 92 and 94 by bolts 102 and the like, to provide rigidity. A friction pad 104 of desired configuration may be positioned on panels 73 and '80 for the purpose of retaining snow thereon or providing proper contact friction for this surface.

Referring to FIGURE 10, the upper ends of spaced parallel channel members 84 and 86 of frame 82 of ramp 22 may have a pair of angle brackets 105 secured thereto by bolts 168. Brackets 1% are each provided with an aperture adapted to register with holes of channel element 5t! supporting bot-tom panel 58 of turn-around 2t} and secured thereto by bolts 112 positioned through the apertures of brackets 106 and holes 115 of channel element 51). An alternative ramp and turn-around securing arrangement is shown in FIGURE 14 wherein the upper ends of channel elements 84- and 86 are provided with a hook projection 11-4 and the holes 119a in element 50 are sized to receive hook 114.

To convert the ramp and turn-around of FIGURES 1 and 2 to the playhouse or shelter of FIGURES 3 and 4, the ramp 22 is disconnected from the turn-around 20 as by removal of bolts 112 or unhooking hooks 114 to detach channel elements 84 and 86 from channel element 50. Channels 50, 52, 54 and 56 are relocated in the lowered position as by removing fastening devices 57 and repositioning same in lower holes 55. Bottom panel 58 is now supported by channels 50, 52, 54, and 56 in the lower position. The front panel 325, FIGURE 5, is seen to have a pair of hinge halves 116 and 118 secured thereto adjacent the upper edge and the other half of these hinges are secured to the door portion of front panel 32b. Normally, the hinge halves remain connected and the door portion 320 is hingedly attached to panel 32b. As best seen in FIGURE 3, the conversion panel 32b is rotated counterclockwise and secured with the longest dimension in an upright position with the door portion 320 cooperating with panels 32a and 32b to effect closure of the front of the shelter.

The gable panels 75 and 77 are elevated and secured in position, by suitable means, such as bolts and the like, on top of the side panels 36 and 38. The combined ramp and roof panels 78 and 89 are removed from the ramp by sliding from between side boards 92, 94 and transverse elements 88. These panels are positioned and secured by suitable means on the gable panels to form the roof of the shelter. Reconversion from the shelter to ramp and turn-around is accomplished by reversing the above procedure.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13, wherein identical parts are identified by the same reference numbers. The turn-around 20 and the ramp 22 are constructed in substantially the same manner with some exceptions. The Window opening 74 of side panel 36 is deleted and a hinged door 12f) is provided therein. The front panel 132 is provided with an opening .133 in the upper portion of a size to register with the adjacent end of the ramp 22 and extending down to the bottom panel 58 when in the upper position shown in FIGURE 12. A closure 132a for opening 133 is hingedly connected to front panel by means of hinges 134. Closure 132a is provided with a window opening 136 therein which may be covered with a suitable transparent material. The ramp 22 is provided with suitable attaching means such as shown in FIGURES and 11 for attaching same to the turn-around.

To convert the ramp and turn-around illustrated in FIGURE 12 to the shelter illustrated in FIGURE 13, the ramp is detached from the turn-around. The bottom panel 58 is lowered to the lower position in the manner described for the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2. The closure 132a is pivoted and secured, by suitable means, into the closed position, shown in FIGURE 13, and the ramp 22 is inverted and placed over the thus converted turn-around to form a top or roof. A pair of braces 137 are attached at one end to either side of the overhang of the inverted ramp and at the other end to the turn-around to provide structural support for the overhang.

It will be seen that the structure of this invention when assembled as a ramp and turn-around may be used on the playground in the summer for wagon or soap box car coasting and in winter, with the friction pad in place to hold snow on the ramp, for sleding or skiing. When the structure is converted to a shelter it may serve as a childs playhouse, music practice room or a toy or tool storage.

While there have been described what at present are considered to be the preferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention. It is aimed, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination playground slope and playhouse which comprises in combination an enclosure portion including a front, rear and side walls, a plurality of-vertically positioned legs for supporting the enclosure, a bottom wall supported by said legs selectively in one of two vertically space-d positions, said front wall having an opening therein having its vertical dimension extending from the top thereof to the bottom wall when in the upper position and a ramp portion including a bottom and upstanding sides with one end thereof being detachably attached to said front wall in registry with said opening therein with the bottom of the vamp being in continuous relation with the bottom of the enclosure when in the upper position, the other end of the ramp being in ground contacting relation resulting in the bottom thereof being inclined, a closure for the opening in the front wall hingedly connected to one margin of the opening adapted to be pivoted and secured in closing relation, at least one wall of the enclosure being provided with a door opening and closure therefor and a window opening, said enclosure when said bottom wall is positioned in the lower position, the closure for the opening in the front wall is pivoted and secured in closing relation and the ramp is detached from the front wall and positioned over the enclosure to form a roof therefor providing an enclosed shelter.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the hinged closure for the opening in the front wall is adapted to form a door for gaining entry into the enclosure, where the bottom wall is in the lowermost position, when the closure and that portion of the front wall to which it is hingedly attached is rotated approximately degrees in the plane of the front wall.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a pair of triangular gable panels adapted to be positioned atop the :side walls in the same plane, and the bottom of the ramp is formed of two panels adapted to be positioned on the gable panels forming a gabled roof for the enclosure.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the vertical legs are provided with adjustable telescoping ground contacting extensions.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the ramp comprises a pair of spaced parallel channel members and a plurality of U-shaped transverse elements secured thereto supporting the bottom and sides of the ramp with means being provided at one end of the ramp for detachably securing said ramp to the turn-around.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein the legs are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced openings and the extensions are provided with a plurality of hook projections adapted to be selectively positioned and received in the openings of the legs for securing the extensions in selected positions relative thereto.

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein the operative surface of the ramp is provided with friction means for retaining snow and the like thereon.

S. The combination of claim 5 wherein the one end of the channel members is each provided with hook-like projections and the channel member adjacent the front panel supporting the bottom panel is provided with apertures adapted to receive said hook-like projections to releasably secure the ramp to the turn-around.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A COMBINATION PLAYGROUND SLOPE AND PLAYHOUSE WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION AN ENCLOSURE PORTION INCLUDING A FRONT, REAR AND SIDE WALLS, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY POSITIONED LEGS FOR SUPPORTING THE ENCLOSURE, A BOTTOM WALL SUPPORTED BY SAID LEGS SELECTIVELY IN ONE OF TWO VERTICALLY SPACED POSITIONS, SAID FRONT WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN HAVING ITS VERTICAL DIMENSION EXTENDING FROM THE TOP THEREOF TO THE BOTTOM WALL WHEN IN THE UPPER POSITION AND A RAMP PORTION INCLUDING A BOTTOM AND UPSTANDING SIDES WITH ONE END THEREOF BEING DETACHABLY ATTACHED TO SAID FRONT WALL IN REGISTRY WITH SAID OPENING THEREIN WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP BEING IN CONTINUOUS RELATION WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE ENCLOSURE WHEN IN THE UPPER POSITION, THE OTHER END OF THE RAMP BEING IN GROUND CONTACTING RELATION RESULTING IN THE BOTTOM THEREOF BEING INCLINED, A CLOSURE FOR THE OPENING IN THE FRONT WALL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO ONE MARGIN OF THE OPENING ADAPTED TO BE PIVOTED AND SECURED IN CLOSING RELATION, AT LEAST ONE WALL OF THE ENCLOSURE BEING PROVIDED WITH A DOOR OPENING AND CLOSURE THEREFOR AND A WINDOW OPENING, SAID ENCLOSURE WHEN SAID BOTTOM WALL IS POSITIONED IN THE LOWER POSITION, THE CLOSURE FOR THE OPENING IN THE FRONT WALL IS PIVOTED AND SECURED IN CLOSING RELATION AND THE RAMP IS DETACHED FROM THE FRONT WALL AND POSITIONED OVER THE ENCLOSURE TO FORM A ROOF THEREFOR PROVIDING AN ENCLOSED SHELTER. 